This from Kings.com:
According to several published reports over the last week, including an article written in the Sacramento Bee, the Sacramento Kings have narrowed their search for a head coach to succeed Rick Adelman down to three candidates. All three are known in basketball circles, with two having won championships at some point in their career and the other having grown up with coaching literally flowing though his blood.
Here is a closer look at each of the finalists:
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Mario Elie
Mario Elie, who played 11 seasons in the NBA – including two with Golden State – became a Warriors assistant coach in 2004-05. Prior to joining the Warriors coaching staff, he spent last season on the bench as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Elie has made the playoffs in all 12 of his seasons as an NBA player and coach.
Elie, enjoyed a successful NBA playing career, averaging 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 732 regular season games with Golden State, Philadelphia, Portland, Houston, San Antonio and Phoenix. He also played in 116 career playoff contests, winning three NBA Championships with Houston (1994 & 1995) and San Antonio (1999).
A native of New York City, Elie enjoyed some of his finest playing moments as a member of the Houston Rockets. He started all four games of the 1995 NBA Finals against Orlando, averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists en route to winning his second consecutive title. Additionally, his best individual season came in 1996-97, when he averaged 11.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 78 games for the Rockets. In 1998, he was named to the Rockets 30-Year Team as one of the top 10 players in club history.
After going undrafted by the NBA in 1985 out of American International College – a Division II school in Springfield, Massachusetts – Elie played in Portugal, Argentina, Ireland, the USBL, the WBL and the CBA before making his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in December of 1990.
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After appearing in three games for the 76ers, Elie signed a 10-day contract with Golden State on February 23, 1991. Five days later, he signed a contract to keep him with the Warriors through the end of the following season. During his two seasons in the Bay Area (1990-91 & 1991-92), Elie appeared in 109 regular-season games, averaging 7.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per contest. In 13 playoff contests, he averaged 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while playing alongside current team executives Chris Mullin and Rod Higgins.
Mario (pronounced MERRY-oh) and his wife, Gina, are the parents of triplets, Gaston, Glenn and Lauren. Gina is a television personality who has most recently worked as a national correspondent for MSNBC and as a nightly news anchor for KTRK-TV in Houston. Elie, who earned a degree in human relations from American International, speaks Spanish, Portuguese and French.
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Eric Musselman
A young, energetic coach with an extremely successful record in basketball’s “minor leagues”, Eric Musselman was named head coach of the Golden State Warriors on July 26, 2002, and ended up leading the Warriors to two of their most successful seasons over the last ten years. Just 37-years-old at the time of his hiring, Musselman was the youngest current head coach in the NBA.
Prior to joining the Warriors, Musselman worked two seasons as an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks after spending the prior two seasons with the Orlando Magic. As a CBA coach, Musselman posted a 270-122 record (.688), marking the second highest winning percentage in league history behind Milwaukee Bucks head coach George Karl, who coached for five seasons in the CBA.
From 1990 thru 1997, Musselman had 24 players called-up to the NBA, the highest number in the league during that span. He holds the distinction of being the only person in CBA history to coach in five league All-Star Games (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) and was the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28. When he was 23, Musselman became the youngest coach in CBA history.
He received his first NBA coaching experience in 1990-91 as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves on the staff of his late father, Bill Musselman. The Musselmans are now the first father/son head-coaching duo in NBA history.
After graduating from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1987, Musselman took a front office job with the Los Angeles Clippers before taking on the role of assistant director of scouting.
A three-time member West Coast Athletic Conference All-Academic squad, he played in two NCAA tournaments. Following his college career, Musselman was selected by the CBA’s Albany Patroons in the fifth round (58th overall) of the 1987 Draft.
A graduate of Brecksville (Ohio) High School, Musselman has two sons, Michael and Matthew. He was born November 19, 1964 in Ashland, OH.
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John Whisenant
John Whisenant is currently in his third season as Head Coach and his second season as General Manager of the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs, after spending one WNBA season as assistant general manager, under then GM, Jerry Reynolds.
The 2005 WNBA Coach of the Year, Whisenant led the Monarchs to the 2005 WNBA Championship over the Connecticut Sun - the city's first championship.
Whisenant brings more than 30 years of basketball experience to the Sacramento Monarchs. From his role as head coach with a 51-35 record (59%) and vice president of basketball operations for the New Mexico Slam (IBL/CBA), to his various business interests, Whisenant delivers a passion for basketball and the experience necessary to help the Monarchs reach the next level of excellence.
Whisenant began his basketball career at Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma (averaged 20.5 ppg) and then continued on to New Mexico as a player for the New Mexico State Aggies where he was a starting guard for Coach Fresley Askew. “Whiz” was NMSU’s second leading scorer in his senior season, averaging 13.1 points-per-game.
Upon completion of his playing days, Whisenant immediately went into coaching at Coffeyville Community Junior College (Kansas). While he was an assistant at Coffeyville, the Red Ravens were 48-10 (83%).
In four seasons as head coach at Arizona Western (Yuma), Whisenant’s teams won three league championships and went to nationals all three times. His record was an impressive 97-30 (76%).
After Arizona Western, Whisenant joined the staff of former New Mexico Lobo Coach Norm Ellenberger as assistant head basketball coach. During his seven years, the Lobos went on to a 137-62 (69%) record including two WAC Championships and four post-season appearances. The 1977-78 team ended the season leading the nation in scoring and ranked third nationally.
Since his coaching days with the Lobos, Whisenant has gone on to become a successful businessman with interests in commercial real estate, home construction and horse racing. He has also worked as a consultant to the Maloof family, advising them on their acquisition of the Sacramento Kings. Whisenant has kept his passion for basketball burning, serving as head coach of his son’s AAU team in Albuquerque. Even at the AAU level, Whiz dominated. His team won 176 of 192 games (92%) including six state and regional championships. In 1995, his team won the BCI National Championship.
A native of Gore, Oklahoma, Whisenant is married to Joyce (Mowery) Whisenant, a former women’s basketball player. They have five children: Stan (former University of New Mexico basketball player), Daniel (former Air Force Academy basketball player), Johnette, (former women’s basketball player and current girls’ middle school basketball coach), Justin (former Dartmouth College football and basketball player) and Jordyn (former women’s basketball player).
Whisenant holds a bachelor of science in physical education from New Mexico State and a MA in history from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas.
